Bard College - College of Joy
At 3rd level, a bard gains the Bard College feature. Here is a homebrew option for that feature: The College of Joy.
College of Joy
The College of Joy is a home for the kindest of bards out there. They have mastered their craft through words, actions, insight and performances that provide protection, help and joy to those in need. These bards are humble, noble and kind to both people and animals, and they thrive by using their magic to heal and protect others.
The performances of bards of this college are able to brighten anyone's day and are full of catchy songs or acts that allow others to join in. The tales of these bards spread as most people tend to like their presence around. When they are not performing, they like to help those in need through their magic. It's not hard for these bards to make friends, although they are wary of people trying to take advantage of their deeds. They have no problem being honest to them and confront those in said cases, albeit modestly.
A College of Joy bard would rarely use violence unless they feel like they need to act out of self defense, to stop a greater evil or save those in need. They believe in the karma: what goes around, comes around.
Quick Build
You can make a College of Joy bard quickly by following these suggestions. First, Charisma should be your highest ability score, followed by Dexterity. Second, choose the entertainer, noble or folk hero background. Third, choose the dancing lights and mending cantrips, along with the following 1st-level spells: charm person, detect magic, healing word and thunderwave.
College of Joy Features
| Bard Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Sparing Encore, Humble Protector, Vicious Compliment |
| 6th | Grounding Words |
| 14th | Musical Tranquility |
Sparing Encore
At 3rd level, you learn the Spare the Dying cantrip, which doesn't count against the number of bard cantrips you know.
For you, it has a range of 30 feet but it does require your musical instrument or inspiring words as spellcasting focus to fulfill an additional material component.
Humble Protector
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your Bardic Inspiration to heal others more effectively.
Whevener you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature or use the Song of Rest feature, you can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration. Roll a Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to the pool of hit points the spell or feature is going to restore for a creature.
Vicious Compliment
Starting at 3rd level, you also learn the Vicious Mockery cantrip which doesn't count against the number of bard cantrips you know and is transformed into the cantrip Vicious Compliment.
Vicious Compliment
cantrip enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
Classes: College of Joy Bard
You unleash a compliment with a subtle enchantment to throw off a creature you can see within range. If the target can hear you (though it need not understand you), it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 2d4 psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th Level (3d4), 11th level (4d4), and 17th level (5d4).
Grounding Words
Starting at 6th level, your enchanted words can throw off enemies around you during battle.
As an action, you can speak a sudden compliment or phrase to confuse your enemy. Choose a number of humanoids within 30 feet of you equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one) that can hear and understand you. Each target must make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC. If a target is not hostile towards you or your allies, it has advantage on the saving throw. On a failed save, the target is restrained until the end of your next turn. It is so confused and caught of guard by your words that its thoughts are elsewhere.
If a target succeeds on its saving throw, the target has no hint that you tried to restrain it.
Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
Musical Tranquility
At 14th level, your kind and calm appearance can bring tranquility to your allies during a short or long rest.
When preparing to rest, you can to play a song for 1 minute to give yourself a calming aura of 30 feet during your rest. The aura allows to cut the needed rest time in half for you and up to 12 creatures of your choice that rest inside the aura for the duration.
When the short or long rest is finished, the affected allies that have slept in your calming aura gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + you Charisma modifier (minimum of 1), the aura dissapears and you have to finish a short or long rest to regain your ability to summon the aura again.
Homebrew by: Manouk van Vugt
Image credit: Tatiana Kirgetova & Mansik Yang